Sep 23: A small but high-volume segment of India’s electronics ecosystem is emerging as a new manufacturing opportunity. The Centre’s decision to bring smartphone screen protectors under mandatory quality certification could encourage fresh investments, reduce import dependence and create an estimated 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Pic Credit: Pexel
Under the new framework, smartphone screen protectors will come under the Compulsory Registration Order (CRO) and will have to comply with IS 19348:2025, ‘Glass Screen Protector – Specification’. The requirement will take effect from April 1, 2027, making BIS registration mandatory for both imported and domestically manufactured products sold in the Indian market.
The policy arrives in a market estimated to consume around 500 million screen protectors a year, with more than 90 per cent of current demand met through imports. For Indian manufacturers, that dependence represents a sizeable opportunity to build local capacity in a segment that has largely remained outside the spotlight of the country’s electronics manufacturing push.
A New Business Opportunity Within Electronics Manufacturing
The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) estimates that the new quality regime could support the development of a Rs 12,000–16,000 crore manufacturing industry serving both domestic and export markets.
The opportunity is not limited to companies producing the finished product. A larger domestic manufacturing base could create demand for glass processing, coating, testing, packaging, logistics, warehousing and distribution, allowing smaller businesses and ancillary suppliers to participate in the emerging value chain.
The industry body has also estimated the potential for around Rs 2,000 crore in GST revenue as more transactions move into the formal economy.
For policymakers and businesses, the broader significance lies in converting a heavily import-dependent consumer segment into a more structured domestic manufacturing market.
Quality Standards Could Change Competition
The new rules are also expected to bring greater consistency to a market where consumers currently encounter products across a wide price range.
Screen protectors are sold at prices ranging from roughly Rs 50 to Rs 2,500, while the price difference does not always provide a clear indication of product quality. The industry has raised concerns about products being marketed as tempered glass without meeting the expected specifications.
A common quality standard could change the basis of competition. Instead of relying primarily on price, branding or marketing claims, manufacturers will have to meet defined technical requirements.
This could particularly benefit compliant businesses that invest in production quality, testing facilities and certification. At the same time, consumers could have a clearer benchmark when choosing between products.
Investment Window Opens Ahead of 2027
The April 2027 implementation date gives manufacturers time to prepare for the transition.
Companies can use the intervening period to establish production capacity, upgrade existing facilities, align manufacturing processes with the prescribed specifications and obtain the required BIS registration.
For investors, the development could create opportunities across both manufacturing and supporting services. Companies operating in glass processing, electronics components, industrial testing, packaging and supply-chain management could potentially find new demand as domestic production scales up.
Beyond Import Substitution
The bigger business opportunity could come from exports.
India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem has been expanding, and a domestic screen protector industry could add another high-volume product category to that base. Once manufacturers develop scale, quality systems and reliable supply chains, the same capabilities could be used to target overseas markets.
This could gradually shift the industry from an import-substitution model towards an export-oriented manufacturing opportunity.
The development also fits into a broader trend in India’s electronics sector: building domestic capabilities not only in finished electronic products but also in the components and accessories that support them.
A Small Product with a Larger Economic Footprint
Screen protectors may appear to be a relatively minor smartphone accessory, but their enormous consumption volume gives the segment considerable commercial potential.
If the new standards lead to sustained investment in local production, the impact could extend across manufacturing, employment, taxation and logistics. For Indian businesses, the policy creates an opportunity to compete in a market currently dominated by imports, while for consumers it introduces a more clearly defined quality benchmark.
The coming months will determine how quickly manufacturers respond. If companies use the transition period to build capacity and meet certification requirements, the screen protector segment could become another piece of India’s expanding electronics manufacturing and export ecosystem.